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What are the 10 Best Polarized Sunglasses for Your Favorite Summer Sports?

The best time of the year has finally arrived! Summer means long days, tons of sun, and plenty of opportunities for recreation. And that’s what we’re all about. While every one of us might disagree on the best summer sports, we can all agree on one thing - we’re gonna need some awesome sunglasses to keep up with us. Luckily, Pugs affordable sunglasses have your back.

We put together this buyer’s guide so you can get more familiar with our full line of polarized sunglasses. Our high-performance polarized models will up your style game, save you some hard-earned dough, and (most importantly) protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Whether you’re looking for some leisure time with a fly rod or learning how to barrel roll on a jet ski, there’s a perfect pair of Pugs sunglasses for you.

Scroll through them all or jump to your favorite summer sport in the table of contents below!

Sports and activities on the beach
Summer beach volleyball at sunset

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

If you’re an 80’s kid (or even a 90’s kid), you probably remember the infamous beach volleyball scene in Top Gun. Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, whoever played Goose...an assortment of fine gentlemen all enjoying the sun and sand without a single worry about air combat with the Russians. Although most of us aren’t awesome enough to be fighter pilots, almost all of us can experience the joys of beach volleyball with a crew of friends.

Recommended Glasses: PZ5

Want to look great as you viciously spike the volleyball over the net? Well then, there’s no better style of Pugs glasses than the PZ5s. These classic aviators will make you feel like a much better volleyball player than you actually are. So crank up “Highway to the Danger Zone,” channel your inner Iceman, and let the volleyball fly.

Retro aviator sunglasses
Paddleboarding

STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

Aviator sunglasses

We get it - not everyone can get down with wakeboarding or jet skiing. But stand-up paddleboarding (aka SUP) is for everyone! Although the sport in its current iteration didn’t become popular until the 1900’s in Hawaii, various forms of the activity have been recorded for thousands of years across multiple continents. Why is this? We would surmise it’s because of SUP’s relative simplicity, ease, and fun factor. Anyone and everyone can get into it!

Recommended Glasses: PZ8

SUP boarding is chill - shouldn’t you be chill too? The PZ8s, one of our popular aviator styles, simply ooze that feeling of care-free serenity you want while you float lazily across a lake. You’re a true summer child; you love hot days in the sun, maybe a lemonade on the lake shore (or a beer on the SUP board). The PZ8s complement your lifestyle perfectly.

Bass fishing

BASS FISHING

They say baseball is the “National Pastime” in America - but come on, is this really true? Do you know how many people love bass fishing? Just ask our friend and pro angler Joe Thomas. Why does he love bass fishing? “My favorite thing about bass fishing is the unknown factor. Any given cast could be a giant bass - it could be the fish of a lifetime.” Whether you catch-and-release for fun or you’re looking for tonight’s dinner, reeling in a good catch gives you that feeling of primal success that you can only find in very few places. If you’re interested in learning the ways of bass fishing, check out our Bass Fishing for Beginners guide!

Recommended Glasses: UMF Premium 95-X

Joe Thomas (master of bass fishing and host of Outdoor Channel’s Ultimate Match Fishing) helped us create a brand new line of Pugs polarized sunglasses. The high-performance UMF Premium line is designed to optimize your performance on the water. Visit our online store to learn more about these awesome new styles!

Polarized fishing sunglasses
Fly fishing

FLY FISHING

Affordable polarized sunglasses

If you enjoy solitude, nature, and the soothing sound of river water, fly fishing could be just right for you. With a bit of practice to get the technique down (we recommend finding a friend or mentor who can show you the ways), you’ll be casting like a pro in no time. Also, there’s an extensive and well-documented history behind the art of fly fishing, so it might be a good idea to visit an old dusty section of your local library and do some investigating (or search the web).

Recommended Glasses: UMF Premium 75-X

Getting a fish’s attention is hard enough. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to spot them in the water as well? The UMF 75-X is another brand new style from our friend and pro angler Joe Thomas. With water-repellant hydrophobic lenses, a durable frame, and UVA/B 400 protection, the fish don’t stand a chance when you’re wearing these bad boys.

SAILING-1

SAILING

If you think sailing might be a little too complex to pick up quickly - you might be right. But don’t let that stop you from trying! If you can find a sizeable town near a sizeable body of water (lakes, seas, oceans, oh my) you will almost certainly find local businesses that offer sailboat tours. While you could spend a lifetime mastering the intricacies of sailing, maybe take an afternoon to learn how to tie a bowline knot from the locals first.

Recommended Glasses: PZ4

Any good sailor needs a pair of high-quality sunglasses while roughing the open seas. We recommend the PZ4 for its retro design and large lenses. You’ll look like a sailor (don’t forget your boat shoes and pink polo) and be able to keep the mast in your line of sight - nothing says “rookie sailor” more than getting tossed overboard by the swinging boom.

Retro style sunglasses
WINDSURFING-1

WINDSURFING

L81402

Windsurfing was invented in the late 1950’s in Minnesota, when a man named Alfred Seltz, Jr. decided to stand up on the strange new “sailing surfboard” designed by his friend, Lewis Whinnery. This decision launched windsurfing into the sport it is today. Nowadays you can catch people windsurfing almost anywhere a slight breeze blows across an open body of water. The sport is also very popular in competitive arenas, appearing regularly in the Olympics and other worldwide competitions.

Recommended Glasses: L8 1402

Let’s be real: when you’re whipping across the water on a windy day, you’re gonna need a pair of sunglasses that can perform. The L8s provide a super durable frame, a slight wraparound design to ensure stability, and 1.0mm TAC polarized lenses. So if you’re planning to bust out the board and float the wind currents anytime soon, make sure you have a pair of glasses that will keep up with you.

KAYAKING-1

KAYAKING

The kayak was first invented thousands of years ago by the Inuit people of the Arctic. Obviously it caught on - you can’t visit a popular lake or river these days without seeing kayakers skim past you. The kayak’s versatility lends itself well to various industries and activities, becoming rather universal to diving, fishing, tourism, and more. The best part of kayaking? You can be about as casual or extreme as you want, from floating across a lake to flying down class IV river rapids. With so many options, you can find almost any level of kayaking that fits your style.

Recommended Glasses: L6 1603

No matter what kind of kayaking you’re doing, you’re probably going to want to look good while you do it. Introduced in 2016, the L6 has become one of our most successful, versatile, and well-liked styles. Given the all-around popularity of the L6 and the kayak, we can’t think of a more perfect marriage of sport and hardware.

polarized sport sunglasses
WHITEWATER RAFTING-2

WHITEWATER RAFTING

sport sunglasses for men

If you have a group of friends (most of us do) and a river nearby, might we recommend a weekend rafting trip? Few things bond us humans together better than a harrowing journey down the chaos of life-threatening rapids. You might feel small and helpless while you’re on the river, weighed down by an overwhelming sense of your own mortality, but you’ll feel like a million bucks afterwards. That’s the perfect time to boast of your mid-river bravery to all of your buddies - you weren’t grimacing in fear, you were just focused on taming those rapids!

Recommended Glasses: L2

The L2 is a perfect style for river rafting. These sunglasses accomplish two things that will help you through your day:

  1. They protect your eyes from sun reflection and river spray.
  2. The polarized lenses prevent your friends from seeing the fear in your eyes.

We should also mention how great these glasses look - a high-performance design to match your high-performance rafting skills.

WAKEBOARDING-2

WAKEBOARDING

Have you ever wanted to get dragged along behind a boat at high speeds while trying to stay upright atop a thin board? Yes‽ You should probably try wakeboarding. This extreme water sport was invented in the late 1970’s shortly after the advent of snowboarding, its winter cousin. Wakeboarding has since exploded in popularity - but use caution if you decide to try it. When you learn the tricks of this trade, you’re guaranteed to experience an absolute bounty of thrashing wipeouts. Have fun!

Recommended Glasses: PZ7

The jury is still out regarding whether or not you should even wear sunglasses while wakeboarding. But one thing we know for certain is that you’re going to get bombarded with aqueous spray (like the unfortunate soul in the above photo) - so you might as well protect yourself. Like other high-performance sports we’ve listed above, you’re going to need a pair of glasses that stay on your face at high speeds (and while you do backflips) - there’s no better pair than the PZ7.

Women's sport sunglasses
JET SKIING-1

JET SKIING

Affordable sunglasses

The first stand-up Jet Ski was released to the public by Kawasaki in 1972. Since then these personal jet boats have inspired - mainly due to their ridiculous speed and agility in the water - a massive following by individual consumers and professional racers alike. If you’ve never had the pleasure of zipping through the surf on a Jet Ski, add it to your bucket list now.

Recommended Glasses: PZ3

Flying across the water like a fish outta hell requires a special model of eyewear - specifically, one that will stay on your face. The classic PZ3 offers a functional wraparound style designed to stay secure no matter how strangely shaped your head might be. So keep the wind, surf, and sun out of your eyes and ride the Jet Ski lightning.

Time to hit the water!

At this point, you should be feeling comfortable knowing how to start your bass fishing career. As Joe says above, the best thing you can do now is to get out on the lake as often as you can. Bass fishing is a lifelong pursuit for many people - put in the time and the effort, and one day you’ll be casting with the best of them. Good luck out there!

To optimize your chances of success, make sure you bring the right gear with you - check out Joe’s brand new line of Ultimate Match Fishing (UMF) Premium Sunglasses, now available on the online store!

Shop UMF Premium Sunglasses